By: Marc Levin
By continuing to build upon the recent initiatives that are successfully reducing both crime and incarceration rates, Texas can achieve further crime reductions and lower its corrections budget through the closure of unneeded adult and juvenile correctional facilities.
- Texas Counties Can Unlock Kids and Savings – December 2009
By: Marc Levin
Evidence from Texas cities and scholarly research increasingly indicates that communities can enhance public safety and reduce costs to taxpayers by providing alternatives that divert appropriate youths from detention, adjudication, and probation.
By: Marc Levin
This presentation to lawmakers from across the nation highlights the growing evidence and public consensus supporting alternatives to incarceration that promote public safety, empower and restore victims, and reduce the burden on taxpayers.
By: Marc Levin
This Dallas Morning News commentary discusses the substantial recent decline in crimes committed by Texas adult parolees and the policies strengthening supervision, treatment, and workforce participation of parolees that have contributed to these positive results for public safety and taxpayers. It also emphasizes the importance of building upon these reforms to continue breaking the cycle of crime.
CEJ Multimedia
- Audio of Panels on Corrections and Overcriminalization at 8th Annual TPPF Policy Orientation for the Texas Legislature – January 14, 2010
The speakers on the corrections panel were Senate Dean & Criminal Justice Chairman John Whitmire, House Corrections Chairman Jim McReynolds, Pew Center on the States Public Safety Performance Project Director Adam Gelb, and Council of State Governments Justice Center Research Director Tony Fabelo.
The speakers on the overcriminalization panel were former U.S. Attorney General and Pennsylvania Governor Dick Thornburgh, State Representative Bill Callegari, Texas District and County Attorneys Association Governmental Relations Director Shannon Edmonds, and Cato Institute Criminal Justice Program Director Tim Lynch.
Both panels were moderated by Marc Levin. More than 700 Texas policymakers and stakeholders participated in the Policy Orientation.
You can view Mr. Gelb’s powerpoint and Rep. Callegari’s powerpoint.
- Video of Marc Levin’s Presentation to Meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Corrections and Fiscal Policy Leaders – December 9, 2009
Levin’s talk follows remarks by Dan Wilhelm, Vice President and Chief Program Officer of the Vera Institute of Justice. To see all materials from the NCSL program entitled “Budgeting for Corrections in an Era of Fiscal Restraint,” click here.
- Policy Primer: Keeping More Kids in the Community: Juvenile Justice Solutions in Texas – October 8, 2009
Video (courtesy of Time Warner Cable)
In the 81st session, Texas lawmakers used part of the savings from downsizing state youth lockups to direct $45.7 million to juvenile probation departments to enhance community-based alternatives. This TPPF luncheon program examined how departments can use these new funds to successfully reduce re-arrests and commitments to Texas Youth Commission institutions, as well as issues that should be considered in the upcoming sunset review of the state’s juvenile justice agencies. The panelists were:
* The Honorable Jerry Madden — Vice Chairman, Texas House Corrections Committee
* Michele Deitch — Adjunct Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs
* Harvey Hetzel — Chief Juvenile Probation Officer, Harris County
* Vicki Spriggs — Executive Director, Texas Juvenile Probation Commission
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3 comments:
Marc does a great job! I'm proud to be his friend and supporter.
Ana
TCJC
I watched the video "Keeping Kids in the Community". At the end, Vickie Spriggs embraces JDAI and stated that TJPC is working with the Casey Foundation in making Texas a JDAI State.
She acknowledged that TJPC can't mandate counties to embrace JDAI; however, their stated goal is to begin JDAI in the larger counties and 'role out' across the state over a period of time.
TJPC needs to stick with funding and their so-called minimum standards. They have no business pushing a philosphy on local departments. This is a battle she doesn't want to fight!!
JDAI Will not keep the communities safe. I look at their philosophy of trying to keep kids out of detention facilities and I remember being the victim of a crime. The kids were charged and released the same day after breaking into my home and my neighbor's home. I lived in fear they would do it again because they were out on the street again. Where are victim's rights here. The kid chose to commit the crime, the court should have the decision on placing them into detention not some one living in a fantasy world.
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